


Days of Our Leaps

by Kat_Allen



Series: Quantum Leap: Rebooted [2]
Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Reboot, Science Fiction, Soap Opera, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:14:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27091084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Allen/pseuds/Kat_Allen
Summary: When Jane leaps into the life of a 1980s soap opera actress, she must help her hated co-star reconnect with her estranged son.
Series: Quantum Leap: Rebooted [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965949





	1. Mama Drama

When Jane opened her eyes, she found herself standing in the middle of a large, extravagant living room. From the lush carpet, to the classy white furniture, to the abstract decorations on the walls, every last inch of the room oozed with sophistication and class. She glanced down at her apparel, only to find herself donning an equally sophisticated evening gown.

Unfortunately, she didn’t get to admire these things for very long. Because, just as she began to drink them in, an unknown man ran up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. Like her, this tall, handsome man was well-groomed and finely dressed. However, while Jane stared at him in complete confusion, he looked at her with fiery determination in his eye.

He gazed deeply into her eyes and pleaded, “Don’t do this to me, Francesca! I can’t bear to live another day without you!”

Although Jane fully intended to respond, she was instead interrupted by this handsome man pulling her close and placing a long, passionate kiss on her lips. This kiss endured for a long while, the man being sure to caress her body in the process. And, when he finally pulled away, a sweet smile stretched across his flushed face. Jane, however, didn’t share this pleasant disposition. And she certainly didn’t appreciate being kissed and grabbed by a strange man. So, without thinking, she raised her hand and punched him square in the jaw.

The handsome man fell to the ground. With his back against the lush carpet, he laid there for a brief moment and held his aching jaw. All the while, Jane’s dagger eyes sliced into him. She took a breath and prepared to unleash a barrage of furious words.

However, before she could utter a single one of them, a loud voice called, “Cut!”

Suddenly, bells began to ring and miscellaneous chatter filled the air. Jane turned, only to discover a series of large, black TV cameras sitting to the side. And behind these cameras was a vast collection of men and women. Some of them roamed about the room and adjusted their equipment, while others simply stood there and talked amongst themselves. However, regardless of their activities, each and every one of them kept their eyes on Jane.

Jane muttered, “What the-” 

However, before she could finish her sentence, a short, balding man emerged from behind the cameras. He strolled onto the lush carpet and helped the handsome man to his feet. Then, he glanced at both of them and unleashed a long, deep sigh.

“Well, that was dramatic,” the short man remarked.

Still clinging to his jaw, the handsome man argued, “That wasn’t in the script.”

“Yeah, I know. But it was a really good take.” The short man turned to Jane and said, “Although, next time you want to improvise a punch, give us a heads up. We almost missed the shot on that one.”

“The shot?” she questioned.

Jane glanced at the series of cameras once again. Only this time, her eyes trailed up to the ceiling, where she discovered a string of blinding stage lights dangling above her. She then turned her puzzled eyes back to the living room around her. And, after closer examination, she found that this living room wasn’t a room after all. It was, in fact, a very elaborate set for a very elaborate TV show. And the handsome man that had kissed her was no more than an actor playing his role.

Upon realizing this, she whispered, “Oh crap. I’m an actress.”

“What was that?” the short man asked.

“Nothing,” Jane quickly replied. She glanced at the handsome man and said, “I’m really sorry about the punch.”

“It’s all right,” the handsome man replied. “Just maybe don’t hit me so hard next time. Or, better yet, let me know in advance so I can prepare for it.”

The short man patted both of them on the shoulder and grinned, “Well, I think we’ve got all that we need for that scene. So, what do you say we wrap it?” He turned to Jane and said, “Molly, why don’t you go home for the day?” He then turned to the handsome man and added, “And, David, get some ice on that jaw. Your scene with Celeste is coming up next, and we need you looking sharp.” Both Jane and the handsome man nodded. Then, the short man turned to the camera crew and declared, “That’s a wrap on Molly!”

With that, the crew members began to dart all over the room. Some of them adjusted the cameras and microphones, while others strolled into the fake living room and began to reset all of the props and furniture. Jane stood and watched in amazement as this vast team of people worked meticulously to reset everything in sight. However, her amazement came to an end when a redheaded woman with bold makeup grabbed her by the arm.

“Molly, come on,” said the redheaded woman.

With her hand still gripped to Jane’s arm, this woman led her off the set, past the sea of cameras and crew members, and over to a large vanity with a lone black chair posted in front of it. The redheaded woman set Jane down in the chair, allowing her to see her reflection for the first time. The woman that she had leaped into was a beautiful blonde with flawless skin and bright blue eyes. However, since this woman was an actress, her beautiful face was heavily coated with makeup. As Jane inspected the unknown reflection staring back at her, the redheaded woman grabbed a cloth from the vanity.

“All right. Let’s get some of this makeup off of you,” the woman grinned.

However, before she could wipe the cloth against Jane’s face, a young man in a black shirt approached them and said, “Uh, Katie, Celeste needs to see you.”

The redheaded woman rolled her eyes and replied, “I’ve already seen her three times.”

“Well, she wants to see you again. And she says that she’s not going in front of the camera until you do,” the young man countered.

The redheaded woman unleashed a long, reluctant sigh, then groaned, “All right, fine.” She threw the cloth back onto the vanity and shot Jane one last look. “I’ll be right back.”

Without another word, the redheaded woman and the young man walked away, leaving Jane all alone with the stranger in the mirror. She examined this reflection carefully, taking in every little detail in its entirety. She inspected the long eyelashes, the rosy cheeks, and the bright lipstick. However, what truly piqued her interest was the hair. This blonde hair was so big and feathery that some of the strands nearly stuck straight out.

Upon seeing this, Jane nodded, “I must be in the eighties.”

“1986, to be exact,” a familiar voice added. Jane turned around, only to find Marni standing right behind her. With the touchscreen device in her hands and a smug smirk on her face, she stared at Jane’s strange reflection and shook her head. “You know, they say that blondes have more fun. But, knowing you, you’ll find a way to make it boring.”

“What can I say? It’s a gift,” Jane remarked. “So, I’m in 1986?”

“Yup,” Marni nodded. She glanced down at her handheld device and continued, “It’s August 28, 1986. You’re in Los Angeles, inhabiting the life of Molly Masterson, a twenty-four-year-old actress from Wyoming. Molly’s career started small. She was in a few plays in New York and a handful of TV commercials. But, her big break came when she was cast as Francesca, the conniving daughter-in-law, on the popular daytime drama ‘Mulberry Drive.’”

“I’m on a soap opera?”

“Technically, Molly is. And, apparently, she’s pretty good. Ever since she joined the show, she’s become a rising star.”

“Okay. So, am I here to make sure that her career takes off?”

“Nope. You’re not here for Molly. You’re here for Celeste.”

“Who?”

As soon as she said this, the shrill shattering of glass suddenly boomed throughout the set. Both Jane and Marni turned, only to find a short, dark-haired woman storming across the floor. This middle-aged woman picked up her evening gown as she barreled through the set, the sea of cameras and crew members parting as she charged past them. As this woman came to a halt in the faux living room, she leered at the short, balding man that Jane had encountered earlier.

“Dammit, Carl! Is this some kind of a joke to you?” the woman scolded.

“Celeste, what are you talking about?” the man asked.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Celeste held up what appeared to be a small script and proclaimed, “David has three full pages in the next scene. Three full pages!”

Carl shrugged, “I’m a director, not a writer. I don’t have any control over that.”

“Well, I don’t care,” she countered. “This is still my show, and I won’t be upstaged by anyone. So, either cut down on David’s lines, or find yourself a new lead actress!”

With that, Celeste turned and stormed off the set. Once again, the crew members parted and stared as she passed them by. And, once she was gone, everyone in the vicinity began to murmur amongst themselves. This included Jane and Marni, who traded wary looks.

Marni pointed to the set where the spectacle occurred and said, “That was Celeste Daily. She plays Juliet, the show’s main character. And, according to Dexter, she’s the one that you’re here to help.”

“By doing what? Prescribing her Xanax?” countered Jane.

“No, you’re here to help her reconnect with her son.”

“That woman has a son?”

“Yeah. But, apparently, they aren’t on the best of terms.” Marni glanced down at her handheld device and explained, “Celeste has been an actress most of her life. Hell, it is her life. So, when her second of three failed marriages produced a son, nothing really changed. Her career always came first. But, now that she’s pushing fifty, she’s having regrets.”

“What about the son?” asked Jane.

“His name’s Scott Holcomb,” Marni answered. “He’s an attorney here in L.A. Celeste has been trying to contact him for months, but he hasn’t responded to anything. And, according to the original history, he never does. Scott spends the rest of his life hating his mom, and Celeste spends the rest of her life regretting what happened between them.”

“And Dexter thinks I’m here to fix that?”

“He’s eighty-five percent sure.”

“Okay. Did he give you any tips on how I’m supposed to get two people that hate each other to get past their differences?”

“He’s just a computer. You’re the miracle worker.” Jane rolled her eyes as Marni added, “Come on. How hard could it be?”

The instant she said this, the furious clicking of high heels sounded throughout the room once more. They both turned, only to find Celeste charging toward the set yet again. With her eyes like daggers, she sliced through the crowd and came to a halt on the faux living room’s lush carpet. She adjusted her dress and hair, then turned her sour gaze to the crew members.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Turn the cameras on and let’s get rolling,” Celeste commanded. “I’ve got places to go and people to see.”

With that, everyone quickly took their places. While the crew members prepared behind the cameras, David, the handsome man that Jane had punched in the face, marched onto the set. However, rather than taking his place and preparing for the scene like everyone else, he instead shot Celeste a bitter scowl.

“Why did the writers cut out my monologue?” he asked abrasively.

Celeste shrugged, “Maybe they thought it was boring.”

“Or maybe you told them to cut it out.”

“If I did, then I only did it because it was boring.”

“Celeste, that monologue was an essential part of my character’s development.”

“Your character doesn’t need development. People don’t watch the show for you. They watch it for me.” She stood just inches away from his face and glared at him coldly. “I’ve been keeping this show alive for the last ten years. Without me, it would all fall apart. So, unless you want to go back to being an underwear model, I suggest you stay out of my way and do as your told.”

A bitter silence settled between them as they traded scowls. At first, David stood his ground, refusing to let Celeste intimidate him yet again. However, the longer he stared into her cold, hazel eyes, the more he began to see just how ruthless she truly was. And, after what seemed like an eternity of glaring, David finally conceded.

With his jaw clenched, he said, “Fine.”

“Fine,” she grinned.

As Celeste backed away and prepared herself for the upcoming scene, David remained where he was, a cold grimace etched on his face all the while. His spat with Celeste had certainly drawn the attention of everyone in the room. But, more importantly, it gave Jane and Marni a small glimpse of Celeste’s spiteful disposition.

Jane turned to Marni and remarked, “Oh, yeah. Getting her to cooperate will be really easy.”

“Hey, if it was easy, then everybody would do it,” Marni countered. She glanced down at her handheld device and said, “I’ve got to get back to the lab. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Jane nodded.

The two friends traded looks one last time. Then, Marni tapped against her handheld device and vanished into thin air. Once her friend was gone, Jane unleashed a deep, reluctant sigh. Then, she rose to her feet and strolled over toward the set, where Celeste and David were right in the middle of a very dramatic scene. She stood and watched the scene for a few minutes. However, when the melodrama quickly became too much for her to handle, she decided to use her time more wisely.

Jane strolled away from the set and stepped through the nearby exit. When she did this, she found herself standing in the middle of a vast lot surrounded by massive garage buildings. All the while, hordes of people scurried back and forth between buildings, the hot summer sun beating down on them with each swift stride. Jane merged into the bustling crowd and began to make her way across the lot. However, when she spotted a giant, white trailer sitting all by itself, her curiosity piqued.

She marched over to the trailer, coming to a halt once she was face to face with its lone metal door. She glanced at the door, only to find a star hanging against it. And, written across this star in bright red letters was none other than the name Celeste Daily. Although Jane had reservations about going into Celeste’s trailer, she couldn’t let these reservations prevent her from doing her job. If she was going to help Celeste, then she was going to have to get to know her. And what better way to do that than by inspecting her trailer?

Jane glanced all around her to make sure that the coast was clear. And, once it was, she jerked the handle and stepped inside. The inside of Celeste’s trailer was just as impressive as the outside. From the luxurious sofa, to the classy countertops, to the glistening kitchen appliances, every last inch of the place radiated with elegance. All the while, the sweet aroma of scented candles loomed in the air, wrapping the entire trailer in a warm and pleasant aura. Jane strolled along the pristine hardwood floor, her wide eyes taking in the spectacle with each careful step.

“Wow. It looks like ‘Mulberry Drive’ pays pretty well,” she remarked.

She continued to examine the impressive trailer, only to halt when she spotted something peculiar out of the corner of her eye. On the coffee table beside the sofa, there sat a large stack of letters. At first, Jane didn’t give them much thought. She assumed that perhaps they were just fan letters or messages from her agent. However, the closer she stepped toward them, the more that she began to see them for what they truly were.

These letters weren’t addressed to Celeste. They were addressed to her son, Scott Holcomb. But, more importantly, they had each been stamped with the same disheartening message: return to sender. Jane picked up the stack and began to flip through the envelopes. She flipped and flipped for what seemed like ages, only to become more depressed with each letter she encountered. There had to be at least twenty letters in the stack, and every last one of them had been rejected.

Jane shook her head disappointedly. However, she didn’t get to do this for very long. Because, just as she prepared to move to the next letter in the stack, she heard a pair of footsteps swiftly approaching. And, judging by their loud, furious echo, it was safe to assume that these footsteps belonged to Celeste. Jane threw the stack of envelopes back onto the coffee table. All except one, which she quickly stuffed into her dress. Then, she turned around to face the door and did her very best to appear casual.

When the trailer door opened, Celeste charged through it. With a disgusted grimace on her face, she stormed into her trailer, fully intending on making her way toward her closet. However, when she spotted Jane standing by the coffee table, her bitter scowl increased tenfold.

“What are you doing in my trailer?” Celeste asked abrasively.

“I, uh, I just wanted to have a talk with you before you left for the day,” Jane replied.

Celeste rolled her eyes, then said, “Well, talk fast. I’m having dinner with Robert Wagner and he gets cranky when I’m late.” She opened up the door to her massive closet, only to disappear behind it. Although she remained out of sight, she declared, “What are you waiting for? Get on with it.”

“Okay.” Jane took a deep breath and began, “Well, Celeste, I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve seemed a little stressed lately.” She paused for a moment, then added, “Or at least more so than usual. And I was just wondering if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“You want to help me de-stress?”

“Yeah, if at all possible.”

“Uh huh,” Celeste skeptically replied. She reemerged from the closet, now dressed in a sophisticated pantsuit. She leered at Jane and continued, “And let me guess, you think the best way to do that would be for you to take some of my lines in the next episode?”

Jane raised an eyebrow and said, “What? No. That’s not-”

“I swear, you young actresses are all the same,” Celeste scoffed. “You come in here with your long eyelashes and your fakes noses, and you think that you can steal my show away from me? Well, think again. I’ve made ‘Mulberry Drive’ what it is today. I’ve poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this show. And I’ll be damned if I let some bimbo snatch it away from me!”

Attempting to diffuse the situation, Jane replied, “All right, geez. Take it down a notch. I wasn’t talking about the show. I was talking about your son.”

Unfortunately, this comment didn’t diffuse the situation. If anything, this remark only heightened Celeste’s fury. Upon hearing this, Celeste froze, allowing her dagger eyes to slice through Jane like a hot knife. Then, slowly but surely, she stepped toward her, coming to a halt just inches away from Jane’s puzzled face.

“What did you say?” Celeste asked.

As she stared into Celeste’s cold eyes, Jane nervously answered, “Well, uh, I heard that you were having issues with your son. And I thought-”

“My son is none of your business.”

“I know that. I just thought that maybe I could lend a hand. I mean, he clearly doesn’t want to talk to you. But he might talk to me. I could be your mediator.” Unfortunately for Jane, this wasn’t what Celeste wanted to hear.

With her jaw clenched, Celeste gravely replied, “Now, you listen to me and listen good, because I’m only going to say this once. You are not my friend, Molly Masterson. I don’t need your sympathy. And I certainly don’t need your help. So, whatever game you’re trying to play, whatever scheme you’re concocting, leave my son out of it.”

“Celeste, I-”

“Did I say that you could speak?!” Celeste pointed to the door. “Get out of my trailer! Now!”

With her eyes wide and her heart pounding, Jane made a mad dash for the door. She grabbed onto the handle and prepared to jerk it open. However, before she did, she glanced over her shoulder and shot Celeste one final look. Unfortunately, she was not only met by Celeste’s dagger gaze, but she also watched as celeste grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it at the door. 

Jane quickly stepped outside and shut the trailer door, allowing the vase to smash against it as soon as it closed. With her back against the door, Jane stood there for a few moments and tried to catch her breath, her mind racing all the while. When she finally regained her composure, she reached into her dress and pulled out the envelope that she had stolen from the stack. She peered down at the address stretched across its front.

She nodded, “All right, time for Plan B.”

Once Jane changed out of her costume and heavy makeup, she had one of the security guards lead her to Molly’s car. She then hopped inside of it, started the engine, and drove away from the TV studio. As she rolled through the busy streets of L.A., she scanned the street names as she passed them by. However, rather than searching for the street that Molly Masterson called home, she instead searched for someone else’s home. She searched and searched until she finally stumbled upon the right street. She quickly turned onto it, only to stop when she reached her long-awaited destination: Hartley Towers, the apartment building where Scott Holcomb resided.

Jane hopped out of the car and trekked up the front steps. Luckily for her, a young couple were leaving just as she reached the main door, allowing her to slip inside without using the buzzer. From there, she strolled across the lobby and made her way up the staircase until she inevitably arrived at the third floor. Once she was on the third floor, she marched down the long hallway, passing a slew of apartment doors in the process. However, when she reached Apartment 3G, she stopped. She glanced down at the envelope in her hands one last time, making sure that this was the correct apartment. Then, she slid the envelope into her handbag and knocked on the door.

Almost as soon as she did this, a man’s voice from behind the door called, “What do you want?”

“Excuse me, are you Scott Holcomb?” Jane asked.

“That depends. Who’s asking?” the man countered.

“I’m J-” She paused for a moment, then corrected, “I’m Molly. And I’m a friend of your mom’s.”

“Well, now, that’s a boldfaced lie.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because my mom doesn’t have any friends.”

Jane nodded, “Okay, you have a point. But I do work with your mom.”

“My mom sent you here?” he asked.

She shook her head and replied, “No. Actually, she doesn’t know that I’m here. And, if she did, I imagine she’d be furious.”

The instant she said this, the apartment door opened, only to reveal a young man standing behind it. But not just any young man. No, this was Scott Holcomb, Celeste’s estranged son. Like his mother, Scott donned a head of dark hair and a pair of hazel eyes. However, while he may have inherited his mother’s features, the same could not be said for his disposition. Celeste Daily was a force of nature. Everywhere she went, she took command of the room, dominating everyone and everything in sight. Scott, on the other hand, radiated with a much more relaxed nature. This nature was evident as soon as he opened the apartment door.

He shot Jane a sly grin, then said, “Well, in that case, come on it.”

Jane nodded and stepped inside his apartment. Unlike his mother, Scott didn’t surround himself with extravagant furnishings. His apartment was just a typical 1980s apartment. From the mediocre sofa, to the pastel walls, to the boxy TV in the living room, everything in Scott’s apartment was average.

He gestured to the tan sofa and added, “Have a seat. Can I get you some water or coffee or something?”

“Um, yeah. Some water would be nice,” Jane replied.

As Scott made his way toward the kitchen, Jane sat down on the sofa. She looked all around her, taking in the average apartment in its entirety. However, as she did this, she noticed something peculiar. Although the walls donned a number of paintings and miscellaneous decorations, there wasn’t a single picture of Scott’s family. Specifically, there were no pictures of him and his mother. These troubling thoughts rolled around in her mind just as Scott reappeared with a glass of water. He handed the water to her, then sat down in the cushy chair beside the sofa.

“So, Molly, what can I do for you?” he began.

“You can tell me about this.” Jane reached into her purse and pulled out Celeste’s rejected letter.

Scott raised an eyebrow and asked, “Where’d you get that?”

“Celeste’s trailer. She’s got a stack of them just sitting on her coffee table. And, even though I know it’s none of my business, I guess I was just wondering why you sent them back.”

“Because I don’t want to read them.”

“Why not? I mean, they’re letters from your mom.”

“Celeste Daily may have given birth to me, but she was never really my mom,” Scott replied. “She was, and always will be, an actress. And I was just something that tied her, and her career, down.”

“Oh, come on. It couldn’t have been that bad,” Jane insisted.

He cracked a slight grin, then asked, “Do you know how many Emmy’s Celeste has won during my lifetime?” Jane shook her head. “Seven. And do you know how many times she mentioned me in her acceptance speeches?”

“I’m going to guess none.”

“You’d guess right. And do you know why that is? Because she doesn’t care. About me or anyone else.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yeah, it is.” Scott looked at her earnestly and explained, “She wasn’t around much when I was growing up. She was always preoccupied with her work. And, even when she was around, she was never really interested in me. She wouldn’t be able to make it to my little league game, but she sure as hell found a way to make it to the bars or some celebrity’s house party. Because she’s Celeste Daily, the famous TV actress. And she couldn’t be bothered to care about me.”

A somber silence fell upon the room as the two of them traded looks. All the while, Jane’s heart ached for Scott. She expected things between him and Celeste to be complicated, but she didn’t expect them to be so disheartening. Scott clearly wanted nothing to do with his mother. And Jane didn’t blame him for it. However, just because she didn’t blame him didn’t mean that she agreed with him.

“I understand why you’re upset with her,” said Jane. “And I’m not apologizing for what she did in the past. But things have changed. I really think that she wants to make amends, but she can’t do any of that unless you hear her out.”

Scott shook his head and replied, “This is just a phase. She’s going through a mid-life crisis, and she thinks that I’m the solution. But I don’t want any part of it. I’m not going to let her walk into my life just so she can walk right back out of it.”

“You don’t know that she’ll do that.”

“Yeah, I do. You don’t know her like I do. The best thing I ever did was cutting her out of my life. And, if you’re smart, you’ll cut her out of yours too.”

Upon hearing this cold reply, Jane unleashed a long, deep sigh, then stated, “Look, I know that Celeste isn’t your favorite person on the planet.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“But completely cutting her out of your life isn’t doing either of you any good.”

“I beg to differ.” He gestured to his mediocre apartment. “I’m doing just fine without her… like I have my entire life.”

“Maybe,” she countered. “But things don’t have to be ‘just fine.’ They could be so much better. But you’ll never know unless you give Celeste another chance.”

The room grew still as Jane waited for Scott to reply. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure what kind of answer to expect. All she could do was hope that her earnest words were enough to change his mind. She waited for what felt like ages, the anticipation keeping her on the edge of her seat. However, when Scott finally gave his long-awaited answer, Jane wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

He smirked, then nodded, “You’re good. I can see why they picked you to play Francesca.”

Jane raised an eyebrow and asked, “You watch ‘Mulberry Drive?’”

“Occasionally. Although, to be honest, I usually have to mute my mom’s scenes.”

“That’s pretty much every scene.”

“Not all of them. I usually turn the volume up for yours.” As soon as he realized what he just said, Scott’s eyes widened. He nervously continued, “That came out weird. What I mean is, I admire your work. I saw you in an off-Broadway production of ‘King Lear’ a couple of years ago, and I was impressed. You made a great Cordelia.”

“You really think so?” she questioned.

“Oh, yeah. I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.” Once again, Scott’s eyes widened as soon as those words passed his lips. Only this time, his heart began to pound like a drum. “That also came out weird. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

She replied, “It’s okay. I know what you meant. And I’m flattered.”

The two of them traded polite grins. Unfortunately, these amiable grins were followed by an incredibly awkward silence. A silence so stark and strong that it almost made each of them cringe. This uncomfortable silence endured far longer than either of them preferred. So, doing his best to change the subject, Scott rose to his feet.

He pointed to the untouched glass of water in front of her and said, “Can I, uh, get you some more water or something?”

“Um, no. Don’t worry about it,” she nervously replied. Jane stood up and declared, “Actually, I should probably get going.”

“Right, of course,” he nodded. “I’m sure you’ve got a big day of shooting tomorrow.”

“Yeah, something like that,” she remarked.

Jane slid her purse back onto her shoulder and prepared to make her way toward the door. However, before she could take a single step, she froze, revelation striking her like a bolt of lightning. She had an idea of how to help Celeste and Scott. Granted, it was a farfetched and unusual idea. But it was an idea nonetheless. And, at this point, any idea was better than no idea.

She turned around to face Scott and continued, “But, you know, I don’t have any plans tomorrow evening. So, if you’re free, maybe we could get some dinner.”

Scott paused for a moment, unsure what to make of this proposition, then answered, “Um… yeah. Sure. I’d love to have dinner with you. How does eight o’ clock at King’s Gate sound?”

“Works for me.”

“Great. It’s a date.”

“All right then. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jane shot Scott one last grin. Then, she turned and strolled out of the apartment. As the apartment door closed behind her, she stood there for a brief moment, her head still spinning from what she had just done. However, while part of her wondered if she had just made a huge mistake, the rest of her knew that she had no choice. If she wanted to leap, then she had to fix Celeste and Scott’s relationship. And, if her plan worked out the way she intended, then that’s exactly what would happen. Once she came to this realization, she nodded and strode down the hallway, beginning the long route back to her car.


	2. When You Try Your Best... But You Don't Succeed

The next morning, Jane arrived at the studio and found her way onto the set of ‘Mulberry Drive.’ Once she arrived, she locked herself inside Molly’s mediocre trailer and prepared to put the rest of her plan in motion. She sat by the door and waited anxiously, expecting it to open at any moment. However, rather than having someone burst through the door, she was instead greeted by Marni, who appeared in the room like an apparition. This random appearance not only caught Jane off guard, it nearly made her jump out of her skin.

Upon seeing her friend standing beside of her, Jane placed her hand to her chest and sighed, “Oh, it’s just you. You scared the crap out of me.”

Marni shook her head and smirked, “Boy, if I had a dollar for ever time I’ve heard that.” As Jane sank back into her seat, Marni asked, “So, how’s it going? Have you made any progress with Celeste?”

“Not exactly. I tried to talk to her about her son and she threw a vase at me.”

“Classy.”

“That’s one word for it. But, even though I haven’t been able to talk to her, I was able to talk to Scott.”

“And?”

“And he’s convinced that Celeste doesn’t care about him. He thinks that she’s only reaching out to him because she’s going through a mid-life crisis.”

“Do you agree with him?”

“I don’t think I would’ve been sent here if that was true. No, there’s something else going on here. I’m not sure what it is, but I intend to find out tonight.”

“Why? What’s tonight?”

“I’m having dinner with Scott.”

“You’re what?” Marni paused for a moment, allowing a sly grin to stretch across her face. “Jane, you little minx. You’re putting the moves on Celeste’s son?”

“I’m not putting the moves on anybody,” Jane replied. “This is all part of my master plan.”

“And what plan is that?”

Although Jane fully intended on answering her friend, she was instead interrupted by a knock against the trailer door. Upon hearing this, she sprung to her feet and raced across the room, coming to a halt when she arrived at the corded phone perched on the side wall.

She shot Marni one last glance and said, “Stick around and find out.” She took the phone off the receiver and placed it to her ear. Then, she turned to the door and called, “Come in!”

As soon as she said this, the door opened, allowing none other than Celeste to step inside. With her arms crossed and a sour grimace etched on her face, Celeste strolled into the mediocre trailer. She stopped in front of Jane and looked at her with cold, disgusted eyes.

“Why did some greasy man from production send me here?” Celeste asked abrasively.

Jane tilted the phone away from her and replied, “Because I have something to give you. But I need to finish this call first. So, just hold on one second.” She placed the phone back to her ear and spoke into it. “Yeah, I’m still here. Well, it sounds like an amazing opportunity, and I’m humbled that you thought of me. This could be my big break into film. And I’d owe it all to you, Meryl.” She glanced over at Celeste, only to find her jaw dropped and her eyes nearly popping out of her head. “Yeah, I’ll be there. Eight o’ clock at King’s Gate. Okay, I’ll see you tonight.” Jane hung up the phone and turned around to face Celeste. “Sorry about that.”

With her suspicions climbing higher by the second, Celeste looked at her puzzledly and inquired, “Did you just say ‘Meryl?’ As in, Meryl Streep?”

“Of course. What other Meryl is there?”

“Why would Meryl Streep call you?”

“Apparently, she’s starring in some movie and she wants me to play her niece.”

“She what?”

“I couldn’t believe it either. But it’s true. I guess she’s a fan of the show, and she thinks I’d be perfect for the role. Isn’t that incredible?”

With her jaw clenched and her eyes narrow, Celeste remarked, “Oh, yeah. That’s… that’s just great.”

Upon seeing Celeste’s blatant contempt, Jane added, “You know, she mentioned your name too.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. Apparently, they considered casting you as Meryl’s nosy neighbor. But they decided against it.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t know. Something about you not being able to balance the show and a feature film at the same time.”

“Oh, now that’s a load of crap!” Celeste proclaimed. “She knows that I can handle both! She’s just scared that I’ll steal the spotlight away from her!”

Jane shrugged, “Hey, I believe you. But Meryl doesn’t.” She paused for a moment, then sighed, “It’s just a shame that you can’t talk to her and plead your case.”

Upon hearing this, Celeste froze. The room grew still as she stood there, her sour grimace shifting into a cryptic, calculating expression. And, although she remained completely silent, this pensive expression spoke volumes.

Celeste finally brought this silence to an end as she nodded, “Yeah, it certainly is.”

Jane cracked a slight grin, then said, “Well, anyway, I asked you here because I wanted to give you this.” She strolled over to the kitchen counter and picked up an empty vase. She handed it to Celeste and added, “You know, to replace the one from yesterday.”

Celeste hesitantly took the vase and replied, “Right, of course.” Although Jane had changed the subject, Celeste’s mind clearly still lingered on what had said earlier. Specifically, on her supposed meeting with Meryl Streep. And, the longer she thought on this, the clearer her next course of action became. “Well, if that’s all, then I’ll just be going. I’ll see you around, Molly.”

Without another word, Celeste turned and stormed out of the trailer, the empty vase clutched in her hands all the while. As the door slammed shut, a smug smirk stretched across Jane’s face. She then turned to Marni, whose curious eyes had watched the entire scene play out in front of her.

“The master plan is officially in motion,” Jane declared.

Marni countered, “Your master plan is lying about dinner with Meryl Streep?”

“No. Don’t you get it? After that big speech, Celeste is definitely going to show up at that restaurant tonight. But, instead of seeing Meryl Streep-”

“She’ll see Scott.”

“Exactly. And, if I can get the two of them to sit down and talk, then I just might be able to save their relationship.”

Marni nodded, “That’s very sneaky, Jane. I’m proud of you.”

“That makes one of us,” Jane remarked. “I don’t like sneaking around like this. It makes me sick to my stomach.”

“That’s because you’re a goody-two-shoes. But, honestly, you’ve got nothing to feel bad about. Dexter says that you’re here to help Celeste and Scott. And, if that means tricking them into having dinner with each other, then that’s what you’ve got to do.”

“Still, I’d feel a lot better about tricking them if I knew what I was getting into. I know Scott’s motives. But Celeste’s aren’t so clear.”

Although Marni fully intended to counter her friend’s comment, their conversation was interrupted by yet another knock against the trailer door. However, unlike before, this knock was far more frantic. Jane sauntered over to the door and jerked it open, only to find a middle-aged man with a headset standing before her.

He stared at her with wide eyes and said, “Molly, what are you doing? You were supposed to be on the set ten minutes ago.” He took her by the hand and added, “Come on. We’ve got to get you into hair and makeup, stat.”

Jane shook her head and countered, “What? Oh, no. No. I can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t think I can act today. I, uh, I’m not feeling very well.”

“You look fine to me.”

“But I’m not. And the last thing I want to do is get anybody sick. So, maybe you guys should just go on filming without me.”

“Molly, if we don’t shoot these pages today, then that’s going to put everything else way behind. Now, I can get you some aspirin to help you get through. But, as far as filming without you, that’s out of the question.”

“But, I, uh… I…”

Jane turned her worried eyes to Marni, who shrugged, “Hey, don’t look at me. I’m just a hologram.”

Jane’s heart pounded as she turned back to the man with the headset, only to have him pull her away from Molly’s trailer. The man led her across the lot until they inevitably arrived at the set for ‘Mulberry Drive.’ The next hour seemed to fly by as Jane was bombarded by makeup artists, hairstylists, and costume designers. Each of which polished her appearance little by little until the actress of Molly Masterson had been discarded for the character of Francesca.

Once she looked the part, Jane was released onto the set, where she waited for the crew to finish setting everything up so that they could begin filming. However, rather than calmly sitting around, she instead paced back and forth, frantically flipping through the script with each anxious step. Her mind raced as she tried to memorize the lines written for her. Unfortunately, thanks to her nerves, that task was far more difficult than she expected. And, after rereading the same sentence for the fifteen time, she lowered her script and shook her head.

“This is hopeless,” she muttered.

Suddenly, a familiar voice remarked, “I hope you’re not planning on having that attitude in front of the camera.” Jane turned, only to discover Celeste standing behind her. As Celeste stood there, ready to start the scene, she shot Jane a skeptical glare and added, “Because, if you are, it’s really going to bring down the entire scene.”

“I’m not trying to bring down the scene,” said Jane. “I’m just having a hard time remembering my lines. That’s all.”

“Since when do you need help with your lines? I thought you were the script Nazi.”

“Let’s just say that I don’t feel like myself today.”

“Well, that’s a shame. You’re one of the few people on this show that actually gets their lines right.”

Jane paused for a moment, then inquired, “Am I going crazy, or did you just compliment me?”

Celeste looked at her coldly and replied, “I didn’t insult you. Let’s just leave it at that.” Jane shook her head and scoffed. Upon seeing this, Celeste asked, “What?”

“Nothing,” answered Jane. “It’s just… you’re a hard woman to figure out.”

“I’ve got three ex-husbands that feel the same way,” Celeste smugly replied.

A brief silence settled between them as they traded quick grins. All the while, Jane’s mind raced wildly. From the first moment she leaped into Molly’s life, all of Jane’s experiences with Celeste had been bad ones. Whether it was watching her terrorize people on set, throwing vases, or simply listening to other people’s descriptions of her, Celeste had been painted as this soulless, monstrosity of a woman.

But not now. Now, for the very first time, Jane saw Celeste in a different light. A softer and more humane light. This newfound sense of humanity piqued Jane’s curiosity. But, more importantly, it inspired her to seize this golden opportunity before it slipped away.

“Celeste, can I ask you something?” Jane began.

Celeste shrugged, “I suppose.”

Jane looked her in the eye and asked, “Why are you trying to reach out to your son after all these years?” Celeste raised an eyebrow as Jane explained, “I know that it’s a touchy subject for you. And I know that it’s none of my business. And if you want to throw another vase at my head, go for it. But I just don’t understand it. I mean, you’ve had over twenty years of chances and you didn’t take any of them. So, why now? Why are you doing all of this?”

At first, Celeste said nothing. She just stood there and stared at Jane silently. All the while, Jane’s gaze never wavered as she waited for Celeste’s reply.

After what seemed like a lifetime of silence, Celeste sighed, “You want the God’s honest truth?” Jane nodded, and Celeste sincerely said, “Because I miss him. Because I’ve missed so much of his life. I’ve missed birthdays, Christmases, and vacations. I missed ball games and school plays. I even missed all three of his high school, college, and law school graduations.” Celeste paused, allowing her eyes to cloud just slightly with tears. “And I hate myself every day for it. I’ve spent the last twenty-five years of my life putting my work before my son, and I regret every single second. I wish I could go back in time and change things. But I can’t. All I can do is hope and pray that he’ll forgive me. And that maybe, just maybe, we can start over again.”

The space between them grew still once more as Celeste wiped the minuscule tears from her eyes. As she did this, Jane stared at her earnestly. She wasn’t quite sure what kind of answer to expect from Celeste, but the one she received was a pleasant surprise. Celeste wasn’t doing this because of some mid-life crisis or a publicity stunt. Celeste was reaching out to Scott because she genuinely regretted the things that she had done. And, now that Jane knew this, she no longer felt guilty about tricking the two of them into meeting.

Jane nodded, “Okay. That’s all I needed to know.” She shot Celeste a friendly grin, only to be met by a bitter glare.

Celeste leaned toward her and whispered, “If you repeat a word of what I just said to anyone, I’ll break your thumbs.”

Then, without another word, Celeste turned and made her way toward the faux living room on the other side of the set. Jane stood there and shook her head, still perplexed by Celeste’s mood swings. However, just as she prepared to glance back at her script, she was interrupted by a loud, incessant crunching. She turned, only to find Marni standing there with a large bowl of popcorn.

Jane glared at her and said, “Really? That’s where you’ve been this whole time? Getting popcorn?”

“Well, duh. I’m not going to watch your performance on an empty stomach.” Marni shoved another handful of popcorn into her mouth. “I’d offer you some, but it’d go right through you.”

Upon hearing this terrible pun, Jane rolled her eyes and replied, “Well, I’m glad that you’re enjoying yourself. Because, while you’ve been goofing off in 2035, I’ve been making some headway here in 1986.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I got Celeste to open up to me about Scott. And I really think that my plan might work out.”

“Well, I’m glad you think so, because Dexter doesn’t. I had him run the numbers, and he only gave your plan a success rate of thirty-seven percent.”

“Thirty-seven? That can’t be right. He must’ve made a mistake.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. But he seemed pretty sure of it.”

“Well, I don’t care what he says. I think my plan’s going to work.”

“I hope you’re right.” Marni sighed, then pointed to the script in Jane’s hands. “So, are you ready for your big TV debut?”

“Not even close,” Jane replied. “I don’t know anything about acting. And I certainly don’t know anything about soap operas. I mean, this stuff is ridiculous.”

“Of course it’s ridiculous. It’s a soap opera.” As Jane hung her head, Marni continued, “Come on. I’m sure you’ve got a little bit of acting experience.”

Jane thought for a moment, then said, “Actually, yeah, I do. When I was in seventh grade, I was in my school’s production of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”

“Okay. Which part did you play?”

“The Wicked Witch… of the East.”

Marni paused, then grinned, “The Wicked Witch of the East? You mean the one that gets killed by the house?” She began to chuckle. “So, let me get this straight. You’re only acting experience is laying on stage and sticking your feet out of a fake house?”

“It’s a very important role,” Jane defended. “And I got great reviews.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you got ten toes up.”

“Are you going to offer me any actual advice, or are you just going to laugh at me the whole time?”

“All right, don’t get your panties in a bunch. I used to watch telenovelas with my nana all the time. So, I happen to know a thing or two about melodramatic TV shows. And the key is to look either shocked or outraged at all times.”

“Shocked or outraged?”

“Yeah, shocked or outraged. Throw in a dramatic gasp every now and then, and you should be fine.”

As soon as Marni said this, the same man with the headset that had pulled Jane away from the trailer called, “Molly, come on! We’re rolling in five!”

“All right, I’ll be right there!” Jane replied. She turned to Marni one last time and said, “Wish me luck.”

Then, Jane reluctantly strolled past the sea of cameras and crew members and made her way into the faux living room. Jane’s hands trembled as she prepared herself for the terrifying challenge before her. All the while, Marni watched from the side.

She threw another handful of popcorn into her mouth and grinned, “This is going to be good.”

Over the next few hours, Jane did her very best to give a believable and dramatic performance. Unfortunately, her best still wasn’t very good. It took her several takes to get the lines right and even more to follow the stage directions. She tried to take Marni’s advice by throwing in a dramatic gasp whenever she could. However, she always managed to add them at the wrong time, making the scenes incredibly award and messy. The other cast and crew members did what they could. But, in the end, Jane’s lackluster performance didn’t give them much to work with. 

After what seemed like an eternity of endless takes and uneventful scenes, the director finally decided to call it a day. As soon as he did this, everyone quickly assembled their things and prepared to go home. However, none of them moved quite as fast as Jane. It didn’t take her long to change out of her costume. And it took her even less time to hop into Molly’s car and pull away from the studio.

From that moment on, the rest of the evening went according to plan. When eight o’ clock rolled around, Jane arrived at the parking lot of King’s Gate, one of L.A.’s numerous fine dining restaurants. As the valet took Molly’s car, Jane made her way toward the main doors, only to find Scott waiting for her with a red rose in his hand. He handed her the rose and the two of them strolled inside the restaurant together.

The interior of King’s Gate was just as elegant as its exterior. From its expensive tablecloths, to is elaborate centerpieces, to the classical music playing in the background, every last inch of the restaurant oozed with sophistication and class. This was especially true when the well-dressed hostess led Jane and Scott to an elegant table in the middle of the dining room. Once they each sat down on opposite sides of the table, the hostess left them to examine their menus in peace. Although, considering that half of the dishes were written in French, that feat became increasingly difficult for Scott.

He stared at the menu puzzledly and remarked, “How am I supposed to know what I’m ordering if it’s in a language that I don’t understand?”

“Luck of the draw, I guess,” said Jane. “Although, if you want me to translate, I’d be more than happy to do it.”

“You understand French?”

“French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and just a little bit of Urdu.”

Scott’s eyes widened as he replied, “Wow… that’s a lot.”

“Yeah, well, it’s just part of the job. I work with a lot of different people from a lot of different places, and I need to be able to communicate with them.”

“I figured actors would just have somebody translate for them.”

Upon realizing what she had said, Jane anxiously countered, “Right, yeah. Well, not all of us actors do.” She paused for a brief moment. Then, in a desperate attempt to change the subject, she asked “So, uh, what about your work? You’re an attorney, right?”

“Yeah. I work for a firm here in town,” he nodded.

“And how’s that going?”

“It’s all right. I mean, I’m still pretty green. My job mostly consists of doing research for all the other lawyers. But, once I get my footing, I should be able to work my way up the ladder. And then, I can take cases that actually matter.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yeah, I think so. I think it’s what everybody wants, in a way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think everybody wants to do something they enjoy. But, more than that, I think everybody wants to have something that’s theirs. Something that they can feel good about. Something that helps them leave this world a little bit better than they found it. For me, it’s law, and for you, it’s acting. But, either way, we both use what we love to make things a little better.”

A brief silence settled between them as Scott’s sincere words lingered in the air. All the while, Jane’s mind raced wildly. Unlike his mother, Scott Holcomb was a sweet and sensitive soul. But, more than that, he had an incredibly kind heart. A kind heart that had remained in spite of a turbulent childhood. And it was this kindness that struck an unusually strong chord with Jane.

She looked at him earnestly and replied, “Wow, that’s very… insightful.” She paused for a moment, then added, “You’re a really good guy, Scott. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”

He cracked a slight grin, then confessed, “You know, I’ve got to admit, I was surprised when you wanted to have dinner with me.”

“Really?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, you’re Molly Masterson. You’re a big, fancy TV actress, and I’m just a regular guy. I figured this was just some kind of sick, practical joke.”

“You thought this was a joke, but you came anyway?”

“I wanted to stay optimistic,” he shrugged. “Plus, it’s hard to say 'no' to you.” A brief pause filled the air as the two of them traded warm grins. Then, Scott rose to his feet and said, “I’m going to go to the bathroom really quick. If the waiter comes while I’m gone, just order something for me.”

“Okay,” she nodded.

With that, Scott turned and walked away from the table. He weaved his way through the elegant restaurant, slowly but surely making his way toward the men’s room with each step. Meanwhile, Jane glanced back down at her menu. However, before she could begin to scan through its contents, she heard a pair of high heels come to an abrupt halt beside of her.

Jane looked up from her menu, only to find Celeste standing beside of her. Donning a sophisticated black dress and a pair of incredibly high heels, Celeste towered over Jane. She glanced down at her and cracked a smug smirk.

“Sorry, am I interrupting?” Celeste inquired.

Doing her best to appear surprised, Jane replied, “Celeste, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I just happened to be in the neighborhood when I decided to stop and grab a bite to eat.” Celeste took an empty chair from a nearby table and sat down beside of Jane. “But then, I remembered your big meeting with Meryl. And I figured it’d be rude of me to stop by without saying ‘hello.’”

“How thoughtful of you.”

“What can I say? I’m nothing if not polite.” Celeste glanced at the empty chair and asked, “So, where is she?”

Jane unleashed a deep, reluctant sigh, then said, “Right. About that-”

“I know what you’re going to say,” Celeste interrupted. “You’re upset that I’m here. Well, don’t worry, Molly. I promise that I won’t interfere with your negotiation. I only came here to make one of my own.”

“Yeah, I know. But-”

“Although, if you like, I can negotiate on your behalf. I know that you don’t have much experience with movie contracts.”

“Celeste, I-”

“Honestly, it’d be no trouble at all. Just one co-star looking out for another.”

Having heard more than enough of Celeste’s rambling, Jane sternly declared, “Celeste!”

“What?” Celeste replied.

However, the instant she said this, a familiar voice muttered, “Mom?”

Celeste turned around, only to find Scott standing behind her. The two of them hadn’t been face to face in years. And, now that they were once again, neither of them was quite sure what to do. They each froze like a statue and traded identical wide-eyed stares, a cold and bitter tension suddenly plaguing the air around them. All the while, Jane watched from the side, this meeting going far better in her head than it did before her eyes.

“Scotty?” Celeste questioned. “Is that really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” he replied. “What are you doing here?”

“Me? What are you doing here?”

“I’m on a date.”

“You’re what? But, I don’t…” Celeste paused, the realization hitting her like a slap in the face. She turned her dagger eyes to Jane and declared, “You. You set me up.”

With his eyebrow raised, Scott glanced at Jane and inquired, “Molly, what’s she talking about?”

As all eyes remained on her, Jane calmly said, “All right, everybody just calm down and have a seat.” At first, Scott just remained where he was, his puzzled gaze still locked on Jane. However, after she gestured to his vacant chair, he reluctantly sat down. Once all three of them were at the table, Jane sighed, “I know this seems weird. But, trust me, I’m doing this for your own good. Now, I know that the two of you have a complicated relationship-”

“It’s not complicated,” Scott interjected. “We hate each other. Plain and simple.”

“I don’t hate you, Scotty,” Celeste insisted.

He scoffed, “Well, you’ve got a funny way of showing it.”

“Okay, we got the point,” said Jane. She unleashed yet another deep sigh, then continued, “As I was saying, I know that your relationship is rocky. But I refuse to believe that it’s past saving. That’s why I brought both of you here. And that’s why nobody is leaving this table until you two start talking. So, who’d like to go first?” Neither Scott nor Celeste uttered a single word. They just sat there with their arms crossed, trading cryptic glances all the while. Upon seeing this, Jane nodded and turned to Celeste. “Okay, Celeste, why don’t you start us off?”

“With what?” asked Celeste. “What do you want me to say?”

“Whatever you want,” Jane replied. “You’ve been trying to get Scott to talk to you for months. And, now that he’s sitting right in front of you, surely you’ve got something you’d like to say to him.”

“Of course I do. I’ve got a million things I’d like to say.”

“All right then. Speak your peace.”

A stark stillness fell upon the table as Celeste stared deeply into her son’s bitter eyes. This was a moment that she had longed for. A moment that she had dreamt about for several years. However, now that it was finally here, she wasn’t quite sure where to begin.

Celeste sighed, then said, “Well, after all this time, I guess the one thing that I’ve wanted to say more than anything else is… I’m sorry.”

Upon hearing this, Scott scoffed, “Really? That’s it? Twenty-five years of absent parenting and all you have to say is ‘sorry?’” He shook his head and rose to his feet.

However, before he could walk away, Jane said, “Scott, wait a minute. Just hear her out.”

“Why?” he countered. “Why should I care about anything she has to say? Especially when she’s never cared about what I had to say?”

“That’s not true,” argued Celeste. “I do care, Scotty.”

“My name is Scott. I haven’t gone by ‘Scotty’ since I was twelve. But I guess you’d have no way of knowing that, would you?”

“What do you want me to say, son? That I neglected you? That I made mistakes? Because I did. But I’m trying to do better. I’m trying to make it up to you.”

“I don’t want you to make it up to me. I don’t want anything to do with you!”

“Scotty, please.”

“Stop calling me ‘Scotty!’” he screamed. The entire restaurant suddenly grew still as all the other diners and employees stopped and stared at the spectacle before them. However, Scott didn’t notice any of them, because his dagger eyes were locked on his mother. “Do you have any idea how much I hate being your son? You’ve never told me that you loved me. You’ve never even told me that you liked me. I’ve spent my whole life trying to get away from you. And now, after all this time, you think that you can waltz right back into it? Well, you can’t. I won’t let you. Because I have no room in my life for someone as conceited and heartless as you.” Soft tears began to form in Celeste’s eyes as he shot her one final glare. “Goodbye, Celeste.”

Without another word, Scott turned and stormed across the sophisticated dining room, only to disappear through the restaurant’s main door. Upon seeing this, Jane stood up and raced after him. She weaved through the sea of tables and past the gawking employees until she too charged through the main door and onto the sidewalk outside. Once there, she looked all around her, only to find Scott standing by the valet podium and waiting for his car. Jane ran to his side and looked at him gravely.

“Scott, wait a minute.” She tried to look him in the eye, only to have him turn away from her. Nevertheless, she continued, “Look, I know that you’re mad. But, please, just come back inside. Celeste really does care about you, she’s just terrible at expressing it.”

Jane stood there on the sidewalk and waited for Scott’s reply, her heart racing all the while. She never meant to hurt his feelings. And she certainly never meant to make him storm out of the restaurant. However, while she may not have planned for things to transpire this way, they did. And, now that they had, all she could do was hope that perhaps she hadn’t completely ruined everything. Perhaps there was still a chance that she could turn things around.

As Scott finally looked her in the eye, he asked, “Did you really want to go out with me?”

“What?”

“It’s a simple question, and all I want is an honest answer. Did you ever really want to go out with me? Or was this whole thing just a setup from the start?”

Jane unleashed a deep, painful sigh, then answered, “It started as a setup. But then-”

“Then what?” he interjected. “You got to know me, and you realized that you actually do like me?”

“Yeah. Exactly,” she replied.

Scott hung his head and scoffed, “I can’t believe that I was stupid enough to believe that you were into me. But, I guess I should’ve seen it coming. You are an actress after all.” 

These words cut through Jane like a knife and stung far worse than she cared to admit. They stung as the valet finally arrived with Scott’s car. They stung as he shot her one last heartbroken glance. And they especially stung as she watched him drive away. Even as his car faded into the distance, leaving Jane standing alone on the sidewalk, his bitter words plagued the air around her.

She stood there, frozen like a statue, for what seemed like an eternity. All the while, she stared out at the passing cars with a dejected grimace etched on her face. However, her melancholy staring was interrupted when Marni suddenly appeared by her side. Marni glanced up from her handheld device and looked at her friend with anxious eyes.

“Oh, thank God,” she began. “Jane, listen, you’ve got to abort the mission. Dexter says that if you get Scott and Celeste together, then things are going to get bad. Like ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ bad.”

“I know,” Jane muttered.

Marni shot her a puzzled glance and replied, “What do you mean ‘you know?’”

Jane looked at her friend and gravely said, “You’re too late, Marni. It’s over.”


	3. The Heart of the Matter

The next day, Jane tried to go about her business as usual. She showed up to the set of ‘Mulberry Drive’ right on time. She underwent Molly’s typical hair and makeup routine. And she even forced a smile whenever one of the cast or crew members approached her. However, no matter how hard she tried to pretend that all was well, she couldn’t ignore the ache in her gut that told her it wasn’t.

Things were far from okay. In fact, things were downright awful. Her attempt to reunite Celeste and Scott had not only backfired, it made an already turbulent situation even worse. The rift between them was bigger than ever, and it was all her fault. Guilt radiated from every pore as she sat in Molly’s designated chair and waited for the cameras to begin rolling. As she did this, Marni randomly appeared by her side. Marni inspected the crew members, who appeared to be more stressed than usual, and raised an eyebrow.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Apparently, my terrible performance yesterday put us behind schedule. So now, we have to air a few live scenes in order to make up the difference,” answered Jane.

“Well, that should be interesting.”

“One of the scenes is between me and Celeste.”

“Like I said: interesting.” Jane rolled her eyes as Marni continued, “Have you talked to Celeste yet?”

“No. And I’m not sure that I want to,” Jane replied. “She’s hard to get along with on a good day. But, after last night, I have a feeling that she’s going to be worse than ever.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “How could I let this happen? How could I screw things up this bad?”

“You were just trying to do your job.”

“Yeah, and look how that turned out. Now, the only thing that Celeste and Scott hate more than each other is me.”

“It’s not that bad.” Marni glanced down at her handheld device. “Dexter says that there’s still a chance you can fix things.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. But, if he says that there’s a chance, then there must be something that you can do.”

“Well, my life would be a lot easier if he could be a little more specific. Although, to be honest, I don’t think there’s much that I can do. Even if I was able to bring the two of them together again, it wouldn’t do much. Celeste is so emotionally constipated that she can’t be honest with herself, let alone anybody else.”

“She’s an actress. Being dishonest is kind of her thing.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that she has to bottle everything up inside. Especially her feelings for her own son.”

Suddenly, Carl, the director that she had met the day before, called, “Molly, come on. We’re going live in ten.”

“I’ll be right there!” Jane replied. She rose from her seat and shot her friend one last look. “Well, here goes nothing.”

Then, without another word, Jane marched across the set and past the sea of cameras and crew members, coming to a halt once her shoes touched the lush white carpet of the faux living room. She stood there amidst the elegant set with her eyes down, attempting to run Molly’s lines in the back of her head. However, when she heard a distinct pair of high heels approaching. She glanced up, only to find Celeste making her way onto the set. She stormed across the crowded room with ease, coming to a halt on the lush, white carpet. And as she stood on her mark and prepared to begin the emotionally charged scene, her dagger eyes sliced into Jane.

“All right, people! Get ready!” Carl announced. “We’re going live in five, four, three, two…”

Carl signaled the crew and a red light suddenly lit up on the main camera, allowing everything in front of it to be broadcast live all across the country. Jane’s palms began to sweat as her heart pounded like a drum in her chest. She had never been very good at acting. But, now that her performance was on the airwaves, the pressure within her increased tenfold. Celeste, however, didn’t share the same jitters. So, when the camera turned on, she jumped right into the scene without a hitch.

Celeste leered at Jane and dramatically declared, “How could you do it, Francesca? How could you betray your family?”

Jane’s voice shook as she replied, “I, uh, I did what I had to do. And I won’t apologize for it.”

“Of course not. I wouldn’t expect such civility from you.” Celeste strolled across the carpet, coming to a halt right in front of Jane. “You should be ashamed of yourself… you lying slut.”

Upon hearing this, Jane paused and raised an eyebrow. Although she had only read through the script once, she remembered most of the lines. And none of those pages contained the phrase, ‘lying slut.’ Which could only mean one thing: this wasn’t Celeste’s character talking. These words were, in fact, Celeste’s. Jane glanced over at the director, only to find him shrugging and motioning for her to continue with the scene.

Jane looked Celeste in the eye and said, “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way. But I’m not sorry for what I did.”

“Maybe not now. But you will be. Believe me, you will be.” Celeste glare at her and muttered, “I’ll make sure of it. I won’t stop until you and your career are six feet under.”

Once again, Jane glanced over at the director, only to find him motioning for her to continue in spite of Celeste’s ad-libbing. Although she wasn’t quite sure what was going on, Jane did as the director requested and moved on. 

She nodded, “Okay. Well, I think-”

However, before Jane could finish her line, Celeste raised her manicured hand and slapped her across the face. Jane took a step back and placed her hand against her stinging cheek. Although this sting was painful, it seemed insignificant compared to the rage building within her. Clearly, Celeste had a score to settle, and she wanted to settle it on live TV. And, while Jane certainly didn’t like the idea of running the scene and hurting Molly’s career, she also couldn’t let Celeste off so easily. Jane no longer cared about following the script. If Celeste wanted to get real, then she would do the same.

She glared at Celeste and proclaimed, “You know what, ‘Juliet?’ I’ve had just about enough of you. There’s no point in being spiteful and vindictive all the time. It only makes you, and everyone else around you, miserable.”

“Do you honestly think that I care?” Celeste countered.

“I don’t know. There’s no way to tell. Even when you do care about something, you go out of your way to make everybody think that you don’t. Which doesn’t make any sense, by the way.”

“It makes sense to me, and that’s all that matters. You don’t know anything about me. You don’t know who I am, how I feel, or what I care about.”

“What about your son? Do you care about him?”

Celeste’s eye narrowed as she asked, “What kind of question is that?”

“The kind that a mother shouldn’t have to think about. And the kind that you’ve been avoiding.”

“I haven’t been avoiding anything.”

“Yeah, you have.” Jane shook her head and continued, “Why is it so hard for you to be honest about your feelings? Why is it so hard for you to admit that you love your son?”

“It’s not hard.”

“Well, you could’ve fooled me. Just tell me the truth. Tell me how you really feel.”

“You want the truth?” Celeste declared. “I love my son more than anything in the world. I think about him every day. I think about what he’s accomplished. I think about the man he’s become. I think about how proud I am of him. But, mostly, I think about how much he hates me… and how much I deserve it. I deserve every ounce of hatred that my son throws my way, but I love him in spite of all that. I love him even though I know he’ll never love me. And that’s the truth.”

The instant those words passed her lips, the entire set grew still. Although the director and crew members were puzzled by this sudden improvisation, they were left dumfounded by the speech that it yielded. With their eyes wide and their jaws dropped, each and every one of them stared at Celeste, none of them quite sure what to make of this unforeseen confession. Jane, on the other hand, knew exactly what to make of it.

She looked at Celeste sincerely and stated, “You know, if you’d told him that a long time ago, then maybe things could’ve been different. Maybe you wouldn’t have to spend the rest of your life being miserable.”

Unfortunately for her, that wasn’t what Celeste wanted to hear. With a fire in her eyes, Celeste pounced forward, fully intending to tackle jane to the ground. However, Jane evaded this advance at the very last second. Although Celeste missed Jane, this was only the beginning of her plight. Because, just as Jane moved aside, Celeste’s foot rammed into one of the nearby chairs and caused her to fall forward. And, as she fell down, her head slammed against the corner of the elegant coffee table. This blow knocked her unconscious, as well as forming a hideous gash on the top of her head.

Celeste laid face-down against the ground, a trail of crimson blood gushing out of her head and onto the white carpet in the process. Upon seeing this, Jane’s heart sank. She ran to Celeste’s side and crouched down beside of her. Once there, she felt for a heartbeat, only to find it growing fainter by the second.

Jane turned to the crew members and yelled, “Somebody call 9-1-1! Now!” 

As soon as she said this, the crew went ballistic. They darted in all directions, some of them preparing to call for help, while others tried to find a first aid kit of some kind. All the while, the cameras kept rolling, broadcasting the spectacle all across the country. But, more importantly, it broadcast Jane holding Celeste in her arms and attempting to stop the ghastly, incessant bleeding.

It didn’t take long for the ambulance to arrive. And it took even less time to reach the hospital. Once there, Celeste was treated by one of the best doctors in the city, who not only stitched up the gash in her head, but also managed to help her regain consciousness. Although, Celeste recovered quickly, her doctor ordered her to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. And, after what seemed like a lifetime of arguing, Celeste eventually agreed and followed the doctor’s orders. However, Celeste’s stay in the hospital was anything but typical.

Thanks to the live broadcast of ‘Mulberry Drive,’ her tragic fall was watched by millions of viewers. But, more than that, it was talked about by almost every news station in the country. They played the footage over and over again, causing the entire nation to talk about Celeste and the show. All the while, crews of news teams remained outside the hospital, giving updates on her condition whenever they could and filming any prominent notable visitors that went inside. So, when Jane arrived at the hospital the next morning, the media pounced on her.

Several reporters tried to get a statement from her, and even more of them tried to shove a camera right in her face. Unfortunately for them, Jane was much quicker than she looked. She pushed through the media circus and stormed into the hospital without a hitch. Once inside, she proceeded into the elevator, which she rode up to the second floor. She then strode along the clean tile floor until she inevitably arrived at the hospital room that housed Celeste. However, before she could enter, she was stopped in the doorway by a nurse.

“I’m sorry, miss. But only family is allowed inside,” said the nurse.

Although Jane prepared to respond, she was instead interrupted by a familiar voice that called, “Let her in.”

The nurse glanced into the room and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” the voice insisted. “Go ahead. Let her in.”

The nurse shrugged and stepped aside, allowing Jane to finally enter the hospital room. However, when she did, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Every square inch of the room was filled with flowers of all varieties. Their vibrant colors brightened the dreary room as their sweet aroma consumed the air. And, in the midst of this sea of floral arrangements, was Celeste. She laid there in the hospital bed, a gauze wrapped tightly around her forehead as she stared up at the TV on the wall, which just happened to display another news report regarding her fall on set. However, when Jane came to a halt beside the bed, Celeste muted the TV and looked at her.

“Hey,” Jane began. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, my head still hurts. And the doctor says that I’ve got a pretty bad concussion. But, all things considered, I’m okay,” answered Celeste.

Jane nodded, “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”

Celeste pointed to the muted TV and said, “Have you seen the news? Everybody’s talking about ‘Mulberry Drive.’”

“Well, yeah, because you cracked your head open on live TV.”

“It doesn’t matter why they’re talking about it. All that matters is that they’re talking.”

“If you say so.” Jane paused, then looked at Celeste sincerely. “Listen, Celeste, I’m really sorry about everything. This is all my fault.”

“No, it’s not,” Celeste replied. “The doctor said that if you hadn’t stepped in when you did, then I may not have survived the trip to the hospital. Plus, I’m the one that tried to strike first. So, I can’t blame you for that.”

“But you can blame me for what happened between you and Scott. I was just trying to help, but all I did was screw things up even more.”

“You shouldn’t blame yourself for that either. Things between me and Scotty were bad long before you stuck your nose into it.”

“Still, I feel pretty bad about it.”

Celeste sighed, “It’s all right, Molly. I’m sure I’ll manage to forgive you… eventually.”

The two of them traded slight smirks. However, just as they did this, they heard the nurse speaking to someone else outside the room. This familiar voice rang like a bell in both of their ears. And, when the nurse finally allowed this person to enter, both Celeste and Jane were surprised to see the face of Scott. He strolled into the room with a handful of daisies in his hand. As he came to a halt beside the hospital bed, he looked at his mother with his earnest hazel eyes.

“Hi,” Scott greeted.

“Hi,” Celeste softly replied. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see how you were doing.” He held up the handful of daisies, only to discover the multitude of flowers around him. “I brought you these… but it looks like you’ve already got plenty of flowers.”

Celeste snatched them from his hand and said, “No, they’re perfect.” She glanced down at them and grinned, “Daisies are my favorite.”

“Yeah, I know,” Scott nodded.

She shot him a sincere look, then continued, “You know, I’ve got to admit, I’m surprised that you came. I figured after that unfortunate incident at the restaurant-”

“Yeah… I was pretty harsh. And, to be honest, I never planned on speaking to you again.” 

“So, what changed your mind?”

“You did.” Celeste raised an eyebrow as he explained, “I heard what you said on ‘Mulberry Drive.’ And it didn’t take much to figure out that you weren’t acting.”

“You watch the show?” she asked.

“Sometimes. I usually just mute your scenes.” He gestured to Jane and continued, “But, when I saw the two of you on screen together, I was interested to see what would happen. And you certainly didn’t disappoint.” He looked at Celeste with earnest eyes. “Did you really mean all that stuff you said? About me? About the two of us?”

“I meant every word.” Celeste took his hand and sincerely said, “I know that I’ve been a terrible mother to you, Scott. And I know that I’m not the easiest person to be around. But I have always, and will always, love you with all my heart. And, if you think you could bear it, I’d love to be part of your life again.”

The room grew still as Celeste laid there and waited for his response. All the while, her heartfelt words lingered in the air. It was clear by the tears in her eyes that she truly meant everything she had said. She really did love her son, and she really did want to be part of his life again. But she could only do it if he was willing to let her try again. So, she waited for his answer, her heart pounding widely all the while.

And, after what felt like eons of silence, Scott finally grinned, “Yeah, I think I’d like that. And, for the record, you can call me ‘Scotty’ if you really want to.”

The two of them leaned forward, meeting in the middle with a warm, endearing hug. Soft tears began to roll down Celeste’s cheeks as she held her beloved son close. After years of pain and heartache, the two of them were finally together again. Only this time, they intended to stay together.

Upon seeing this heartfelt scene, Jane smiled, knowing full well that she had succeeded. However, she didn’t want to intrude on their tender moment any longer. She turned and exited the hospital room. But, just before she could begin down the hall, Scott stopped her.

“Molly, wait a minute!” he called. Jane stopped and turned around to face him. He looked at her and continued, “I, uh, I just wanted to thank you for helping my mom on the set yesterday.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Jane insisted. “Although, I’d appreciate it if you’d forgive me. I’m really sorry about what happened at the restaurant. I was way out of line.”

“It’s all right. You were just trying to help,” said Scott. “And, to be fair, I feel pretty bad about all that stuff I said to you on the sidewalk.”

“So, how about we both forgive each other and call it even?”

“Works for me.”

The two of them traded smiles as they shook hands. All the while, Jane’s heart pounded. Although she had fixed things between Scott and Celeste, there was still one piece of business that seemed unfinished. One last thing that she needed to make right. And, when their handshake came to an end, she decided to give it her best effort.

“Listen, Scott,” she began. “I know this is probably a long shot. But, if you’ll let me, I’d like to make amends for last night. Maybe we could give dinner another try.”

“Well, my better judgement wants to say ‘no.’” He paused and cracked a slight smirk. “But you’re awfully hard to say ‘no’ to.”

“So… is that a ‘yes?’”

“Yeah, I think it is.” The two of them traded warm looks one last time. Then, Scott gestured to the hospital room and added, “I should probably get back to my mom. But would you want to meet up later?”

“It’s a date,” Jane happily replied.

Scott nodded, then turned and disappeared into his mother’s hospital room once more, leaving Jane in the hallway alone. She stood there and watched with a smile on her face as Scott sat by Celeste’s side. Although neither of them uttered a single word, their heartfelt expressions spoke volumes. For the first time in years, the mother and son were not only together, but they were happy. Happier than either of them had been in a long time. A happiness so pure and strong that it almost brought a tear to Jane’s eye.

However, this tear never came to fruition. Because, as she stood there and beamed with happiness, a blinding white light overpowered her body. This light consumed every part of her, allowing white sparks to trace up and down her body in the process. And, once they completely overwhelmed her, Jane finally leaped.


End file.
